Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 17:39:46 -0700
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Steering wheel locked after replacing blower motor
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hi dear First Foray ..
it is entirely normal to have something like this happen on something
semi-intense like steering column work ..
part of the learning curve.
I'd say just 'back up' ...
undo all that you have bolted up ..
and wires ..and kinda 'start over' .
it's odd that the key and steering are jammed or locked together badly ..
can't imagine how you did that ..
but ...........with luck and cleverness you can get it back apart and find
out where you might have made a mistake ..
I'm not thinking that you have a ground problem..
but if ever you do see things like lights working when they shouldn't ...
if it's not directly the wiring, the fuese or how things are connected ..
then you think about grounds.
Had one case where the only thing that would happen when you tried to start
the car ....
was the headlights would come on when the key was turned to the start
position. Otherwise everything was dead.
That turned out to be poor contact on the main battery ground cable. Just
putting a jumper cable from engine to batt. negative made it work right.
my point is ..
for very weird electrical symptions ..consider grounds for sure.
it's totally normal to have to go over your work on a first-time thing.
btdt. Part of the learning process.
Don't give up..
just get in there....and check everything very carefully. Even if it takes
hours.
I've had to put things togther 10 times a few times, to get them right.
scott
----- Original Message -----
From: "Phil Menchions" <pwmenchions@HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, May 20, 2011 4:30 PM
Subject: Re: Steering wheel locked after replacing blower motor
I'm familiar with the situation you described usually seen when the wheels
are cut hard over when parking. In this instance the wheels are straight
ahead but I suppose it is possible that with the steering column torquing
after the bolts were loosened it may have had the same effect. I'll give it
a go again tomorrow.
Has anyone else encountered the same situation that I have described?
It is also disconcerting that simply having the battery ground wire hooked
up results in the side marker and dash lights illuminating. The only
electrical mod was to splice a spade connector for the blower motor itself.
Otherwise it was clean up whatever grounds could be see, plug in and go. (or
not)
This has been my first foray into doing my own labor on the van. Thought
that perhaps I had bitten off more than I could chew but this forum has been
a wonderful help. Thanks to all for the advice.
Phil Menchions
'89 Westy
> Date: Fri, 20 May 2011 15:48:05 -0600
> From: mtbiker62@GMAIL.COM
> Subject: Re: Steering wheel locked after replacing blower motor
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>
> Turn the wheel HARD R or L and see if while doing that in one or the other
> of those directions, you can remove/turn the ign key.
> It just sounds to me like the steering wheel has pressure on it in the
> locked and turned position. I've had that happen periodically
> and just turned the wheel further toward the position the front wheels
> were pointing.
> bob
> On May 20, 2011, at 2:50 PM, Phil Menchions wrote:
>
> > I just finished putting a new blower motor in my '89 (pheww! don't want
> > to do that any time again soon). Anyway I was feeling quite satisfied
> > with myself after putting everything back together. However, much to my
> > chagrin I found the steering wheel was locked and the key will not turn
> > in the ignition.
> >
> > I noticed that when I had everything apart the steering column torqued
> > in a clockwise direction. ( I did not see the two pins at the bottom of
> > the column ). So when the time came to reattach the steering column it
> > took quite an effort to torque the column back to its original position
> > to fit the 4 bolts.
> >
> > What have I done? While sitting with the key in the ignition I noticed
> > that the marker lights were on as well as the dash lights for the speedo
> > and tach. I couldn't switch them off and wound up disconnecting the
> > battery.
> >
> > Any help ideas are greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Phil Menchions
> > '89 Westy
=